1. Field
The disclosure relates generally to data processing systems and methods and, more specifically, to systems and methods for using data processing resources provided as a service, known as cloud computing, and to systems and methods for providing security for cloud computing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cloud computing is a model of service delivery for enabling convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or interaction with a provider of the service. For example, cloud computing allows a consumer to obtain data processing resources, such as networks, network bandwidth, servers, processing, memory, storage, applications, virtual machines, and services as a service on a temporary basis when needed. Several vendors are currently offering various cloud services. For example, such services include infrastructure as a service, platform as a service, storage as a service, software as a service, and business process as a service cloud services. These services use vendor-specific service requests, access, and consumption models.
A consumer of cloud computing services may have its own data processing system resources. For example, the consumer may be a business or other entity. The consumer may have invested in its own data processing system resources. These resources may include a computer network. The consumer's computer network provides a limited amount of processing capability and data storage resources. The consumer's computer network also provides specific data processing applications. The consumer's computer network may be located on-premise and may be operated as a private cloud.
At certain times, the consumer may require data processing resources beyond those available in its computer network. For example, at certain times, the demand for data processing resources may outstrip the capability of the consumer's computer network. At these times, the response time of the consumer's computer network for some applications may increase to unacceptable levels. At other times, the consumer may require data processing applications that are not available on the consumer's own computer network. For example, the consumer may require, at times, the use of data processing applications that are not part of the consumer's core competency.
At those times when the consumer requires data processing resources beyond its own, the consumer may purchase such resources as a service on a temporary basis from a provider of cloud computing services. For example, the consumer may obtain additional processing or storage resources or specific application functionality as a service on a temporary basis from the cloud computing provider's data processing resources. Different types of service offerings may provide parts of the solution used in processing the consumer's workload. The provider's available data processing resources is known as a public cloud.
The consumer typically continues to operate its own computer network while some data processing resources are being obtained from a public cloud. Thus, data processing resources from the public cloud typically are obtained in order to supplement the data processing resources of the consumer's own private cloud at certain times of need. The simultaneous and coordinated operation of data processing resources from multiple clouds may be referred to as hybrid cloud computing. For example, operation of the consumer's private cloud along with resources obtained from one or more public clouds is a specific example of hybrid cloud computing.